VI) PLAYING THE GAME
A) Injuries
1) With Advanced Injury Management (AIM) being used, injuries last for the duration of the injury.
2) An injured player counts against the 27-man Active Roster unless the player is placed on the DL.
3) Any player placed on the DL does not count against the Active Roster.
4) Players in an injured status cannot be removed from the ACTIVE roster.
5) If the manager wants a player put on the DL, he will inform the Commissioner of the player via the Disabled List Report Form on the League Web Site.
6) The Commissioner may edit the duration of the injury to add the number of days per the Owner’s instructions.
7) Disabled List
(a) A team may carry up to 3 players at any time on the 15-Day Disabled List.
(b) If a player is on the DL, another player may be called up to replace him during the injury.
(c) A player may be placed on the 60-Day Disabled List if his injury is LONG or if he already has 3 players on the 15-day DL.
(d) Placing a player on the DL makes a team eligible to make an EWC.
(e) If an injured player is moved to the farm, he is automatically placed on the 15-day DL and returned to the active roster. If a team is already at 3 players on the 15-day DL, he is placed on the 60 Day DL.
B) Pitchers
1) There are no restrictions on how long a starter is to remain in a game, after facing a batter.
2) To start a game, a pitcher must have had at least one start in MLB
(a) An exception would be a road team if the team is “physically disabled” and the auto mode of League Manager chooses a nonstarter to start
3) Pitchers cannot be used as a DH or as pinch hitters unless all other players on the bench have been used in an extra-inning game, OR they were regularly used as a DH or position player in MLB.
4) Pitchers can only be slotted into the 8th or 9th spot in the lineup that starts the game. Once the game has begun, a pitcher can be double switched to any batting position in the lineup
5) Pitchers can be used as pinch runners.
6) Pitchers can play only the positions listed on their “cards”. So, unless they have Player Position (OF, 1B, etc.) on their card, no double switching by placing a pitcher in the OF for righty-lefty matchups
(a) The ONLY exception is when the last available position player is injured during the game or series.
7) Once a pitcher’s RUse has reached 0% and -6 BF, he is effectively gone for the Remainder of the Regular Season. Pitchers who reach this status are required to be moved to the farm during the next Franchise File Update session.
8) There is no restriction on days of rest when going from a starter to a reliever and vice versa except that imposed by fatigue status cause by AIM.
9) Starting Pitchers cannot start more than 110% of the starts obtained in MLB for the given season.
(a) No pitcher should exceed 39 starts during the regular season (unless their MLB Starts were greater than 39, then that actual total would be their allowed total of starts).
(b) Penalty: If a manager starts a pitcher in more games than allowed – penalties carry into the postseason):
(i) First offense: 1-week suspension
(ii) Second offense: 2-week suspension
(iii) Third offense: Pitcher’s arm is dead for the rest of the season.
C) Position Players
1) Players are only allowed to play the positions listed on their “cards”.
(a) The ONLY exception is when the last available player at a position is injured during the game or series.
(b) When using a player in a position not rated on his card, the substitute should be a reasonable choice.
(c) If a team cannot cover a position for the first game of a subsequent series due to an injury, the team will be required to either trade or make an EWC for coverage.
D) Emergency Waiver Claims (EWC)
1) EWC players are players that appear in Advanced Draft and are NOT owned by another MWWL franchise.
2) During the weekly update cycle, if a team finds itself, due to injury or they ran out of usage, to not have a backup for a given position, the team will be required to obtain a new player for the team either by trade or the EWC.
3) A team can choose a player of the same positional coverage needed when there is no more coverage left for a position on their team, due to a player being assigned to the DL or a player’s usage has run out, by using this form.
4) Teams are only allowed an EWC player under the following condition.
(a) 930 positional players first.
(i) If no 930 player is available, then the player with the highest PR/SF is to be used.
(b) Grade 3 pitcher.
5) No Emergency Waiver Player or Pitcher can ever be sent to a farm roster and is a Free Agent once they are no longer needed or at the end of the season.
6) While there is no limit to the number, or how long an EWC player will be used on a single team, it is not to be used in lieu of drafting or trading coverage. Owners need to always consider the make-up of their team and not use the EWC as their ‘out’.
7) If the Commissioner’s Office feels a team is abusing the process the Commissioner’s Office can inflict penalties that could result in the loss of a pick(s) in the upcoming Annual Draft.